Shahabuddin: Praise for Modi was personal

NEW DELHI: Former MP Syed Shahabuddin, who wrote to Gujarat CM Narendra Modi acknowledging "some signs of change" in his attitude towards Muslims, on Monday said he had done so in his personal capacity and apologized to the constituents of Joint Committee of Muslim Organization for Empowerment (JCMOE) for mistakenly sending the missive on its official letterhead. Shahabuddin heads the JCMOE.

Reacting sharply to his letter, the constituents of the Muslim conglomerate distanced themselves from it. Media reports quoted some unnamed community leaders linking his letter to the NDA government in Bihar where his daughter is a minister and called it a "sinister idea", suggesting Shahabuddin had done so at the BJP's behest.

The former diplomat said the letter had a strategic purpose as Modi has been able to "soften some Muslims of the upper classes" through "various devices". "The strategy... was to caution them to rethink about Modi on the eve of the election, so that they could be weaned away by taking note that Modi has not fulfilled any real Muslim demands," he wrote to the constituents of the conglomerate. He added that he had not asked Muslims to forgive Modi.

Shahabuddin had laid down nine conditions for Modi before Muslims joined hands with him in rebuilding Gujarat, including a public apology for the 2002 massacre, at least 20 assembly tickets for Muslims, and compensation at par with the 1984 Delhi riots. Alternatively, he said the Muslim leadership will advise Muslims to vote against BJP.

Shahabuddin said his letter was in line with JCMOE's guidelines for Muslims ahead of Gujarat polls. "It is almost word for word the same as the guidelines issued by it in previous elections. Its purpose is that Muslim representation in the legislatures should increase with secular, capable and reliable persons, preferably Muslims. This purpose can be achieved only if the Muslim votes are not scattered and thus become ineffective, but are concentrated and cast unitedly in the favour of one selected secular candidate."